How our kids' health is changing for the worse

I don’t know about you, but I firmly believe the health of kids isn’t what it used to be.

I remember when I was a kid at school no one had egg or nut allergies, and schools wouldn’t restrict what kids could take for lunch. No one I knew had asthma or used a puffer. And when I got a cold, the treatment was to have a day off, rest and drink lots of water. The most medicine my mum would prescribe was vitamin C and maybe some flat lemonade if we were lucky.

Now it’s not uncommon for children to be prescribed paracetamol, repeated courses of antibiotics, antihistamines, asthma medications, anti-depressants, anti-anxiety medications and drugs like Ritalin for treating concentration and learning disorders.

Of course, there were probably children who went undiagnosed for conditions when I was at school however most teachers would agree that there are a lot more children now with major health issues then there were 40 years ago.

Children’s health has changed so much so that:

Behavioural and learning disorders now affect up to 20% of children.

Asthma has doubled in the past 20 years, with the condition now affecting up to 35% of children.

Ear infections are now infecting 80% of children by the age of three

Allergies, digestive disorders, leukaemia and juvenile diabetes are all on the rise in children

These changes can seem quite distressing and overwhelming, but I believe there are a number of factors which are causing our kids’ health to worsen – most of which we can influence in our day-to-day lives:

Family history – conditions like sinus, asthma, hayfever, pyrrole disorder and even a predisposition for ADD, ADHD and autism can be passed down from mother to child. Choosing to have a vaginal birth and breast feed, as well as the general health of the mother and father can positively affect the outcome.

Nutritional deficiencies – particularly iron, iodine and zinc, all of which are crucial for brain development. Sadly, if a child is chronically iron deficient through their formative years, their loss of IQ cannot be recouped.

Excessive processed sugar, dairy and gluten in the diet which can cause leaky gut syndrome.

The increase of additives and preservatives in our foods

Increased toxicity in our environment, including heavy metal exposure to mercury and lead

The overuse of medications like antibiotics, vaccinations and over the counter pain relievers like Panadol.

This long list of contributors to poor health can be addressed in your daily life, but I believe the first and best place to start is with your child’s diet.

Healthy eating is the cornerstone of healthy living. Getting your child to eat natural, nutritious food is one of the biggest challenges you face as a parent – but it is also one of the most important things you can do for their health.

The first step is to start reducing the amount of additives and preservatives in their diets, and then follow on by lowering the amount of sugar, gluten and dairy they ingest.

How we can help…

If your child is experiencing any of the conditions listed in this article, or you’re worried about a health complaint, we can help. At Mullen Health, we assess your child to find the underlying cause of their health complaint and establish a plan to get them on the path to good health.